A framework to support the planning and implementation of work-practice research: an example of using boundary practice lens on the work of business analysts

While practice theories have been adopted in many disciplines and concerns have been raised about the challenges associated with their adoption, exemplars that reveal how work-practice researchers have used practice theories and dealt with challenges associated with the use of practice theories are rare. The lack of such exemplars discourages adoptions of practice theories in work-practice studies. Work-practice studies, therefore, are unable to acknowledge, use, challenge, and modify useful knowledge contributed by practice theorists. In this paper, we aim to address these concerns by proposing a practice research framework to support the planning and implementation of practice-based work-practice studies. In working towards this aim, we provide an example of how the work-practice research on the boundary practice of business analysts was planned and implemented using the practice research framework. We reflect on the efficacy of the framework and conclude with implications of using a practice perspective in work-practice research